The present invention relates to wearing articles for direct and indirect containment of body wastes and having so-called waist fasteners. More particularly, the present invention relates to such wearing articles provided with a fixed point type fastening system used to fasten a waist region of the wearing article, particularly, such as disposable diapers, diaper covers, training pants, incontinence pants or the like and thereby to retain the article about an appropriate region of a wearer's body.
A fixed point type fastening system is well known (See WO 02/051278 A2, hereinafter referred to as “Citation 1”). The fastening system disclosed in Citation 1 comprises a first component having a hollow portion and a second component adapted to be inserted into this hollow portion. The hollow portion at least partially defines a surface adapted to be releasably engaged with at least one surface defined by the second component. These two surfaces adapted to be releasably engaged with each other respectively comprise a plurality of hooks and a plurality of loops. It is claimed by Citation 1 that such a fastener is advantageous for use with the absorbent article.
The absorbent article provided with an improved fastening system is also well known (See WO 02/11657 A2, hereinafter referred to as “Citation 2”). The fastening system disclosed in Citation 2 comprises face-to-face paired flap-like backings extending outward from each side edge in one of waist regions, on one hand, and a flap-like backing extending outward from each side edge in the other waist region and adapted to be interposed between the face-to-face paired flap-like backings, on the other hand. The face-to-face paired flap-like backings in the one waist region are provided on the inner surface thereof with a plurality of hooks and/or loops while the flap-like backing in the other waist region is provided on both the surfaces thereof with a plurality of loops and/or hooks adapted to be releasably engaged with the hooks and/or loops of the face-to-face paired flap-like backings.
In the case of the fastening system disclosed in Citation 1, basically characterized in that the second component is inserted into the hollow portion of the first component, both the hollow portion of the first component and the second component are provided with the hooks or the loops. These hooks and loops may be at least partially engaged one with another during insertion in the vicinity of entrance of the hollow portion and prevent the second component from being sufficiently inserted into the hollow portion. To solve such a problem, the user must insert the second component into the hollow portion with one hand while the hollow portion is sufficiently opened with the other hand. This fastening system is thus accompanied with inconvenience that the user must handle the fastening system with both hands in preparation for the wearing article.
The fastening system disclosed in Citation 2 also is accompanied with the inconvenience that the user fastening system must handle the fastening system with both hands in preparation for wearing the article. Specifically, the user must open the face-to-face paired flap on each side of the one waist region with both hands or one hand and then interpose the flap on each side of the other waist region between the face-to-face paired flaps with the other hand. In addition, this fastening system is disadvantageously distinguished from the fixed point type fastening system in that a position at which the hooks are engaged with the loops must be appropriately selected by the user him- or herself. So far as this aspect is concerned, the fastening system disclosed in Citation 2 is similar to the other fastening systems of prior art requiring such positioning.
It is assumed that the second component has not been properly inserted into the hollow portion of the first component as the fastening system disclosed in Citation 1 has often been the case or the positioning has not been properly selected as the fastening system disclosed in Citation 2 has often been the case. In both cases, it will be impossible to fasten the wearing article on the appropriate region of the wearer's body and consequentially the wearing article will readily slip down. Due to this, body wastes will leak beyond the leg-openings of the article.